10 more high school sports stories worthy of Hollywood

MaxPreps story: Sami Stone runs to the light with seeing-eye dog Chloe

Essentials
Sami Stoner was a typical outdoorsy, creative 13-year-old from Lexington (Ohio) when she began losing her eyesight. As an eighth-grader she was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a hereditary form of macular degeneration that causes irreversible blindness. She considered what her sightless life would lead to her to go without – driving a car, career choices, images of her family’s faces – but she chose to focus and build on the gifts she still had: Strong legs. Healthy lungs. A kind and courageous heart. And most important, a voice.

She used the latter to voice her one true passion in life, the ability to run. With the help of a seeing-eye friend, who later went to college, and then a seeing-eye dog, she ran in cross country meets throughout her high school years. Her dog Chloe then became her closest companion. She finished off her courageous high school athletic career by also being crowned Homecoming princess, along with Chloe who also received a crown. The immensely popular and humble senior received a standing ovation. Asked if she ever asked "Why me?" Stoner said: "Why not me? I would rather this happen to me than my sisters. Yes, it wasn't exactly my plan. It sounds sad, but I would never want to go back and erase the experience of it. I would never wish this didn't happen to me. Because, honestly, I think it's made me a better person."

Casting call
Twenty years ago, Jenna Fischer, of “The Office," would have been perfect playing Stoner. Current "Divergent" starlet Shailene Woodley would do a superb job. Not sure what pooch would be smart enough to play Chloe, but Hollywood always finds a way to find lovable dogs.